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A new type of 1D inorganic material, MoI 3 , which can be separated into individual 1D chains, was synthesized through a vapor transport reaction between molybdenum and iodine. High-purity and centimeter-scale large MoI 3 crystals were obtained by controlling the growth temperature and the stoichiometric ratio between molybdenum and iodine. Their semiconductor characteristics were confirmed by measuring the electrical conductivity as a function of temperature (conductivity increased with increased temperature across the range −70 to 30 °C). Furthermore, it was confirmed that MoI 3 with a 1.27 eV band gap can be separated to a few nanometer scale through mechanical and chemical exfoliation methods and can be used as a photodetector in the near IR (less than 1000 nm)-to-visible light region. This novel 1D material is expected to play an important role in the development of additional low-dimensional materials and in advanced nano-optoelectronic devices. • Synthesis of 1D inorganic material MoI 3 via chemical vapor transport (CVT) method. • Experimental estimation of band gap (∼ 1.27 eV) and application to photodetector. • Bulk to few nanometer scale separations of MoI 3 chains using mechanical and chemical exfoliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-dimensional (2D) inorganic material Nb 3 I 8 , which can be separated into atomic planes, was synthesized through a vapor transport reaction between niobium and iodine. High-purity and cm scale large Nb 3 I 8 crystals were obtained by controlling the growth temperature (600–700 °C) and the stoichiometric ratio between niobium and iodine (using excess I 2 condition, niobium: iodine = 3:9). The semiconductor characteristics were measured by the change of electrical conductivity with temperature (increased conductivity with temperature in the range of 100 K–300 K), and have a band gap of ∼1 eV (∼1200 nm) through Infrared (IR)-visible light absorption analysis. Based on these characteristics, the device characteristics of detecting IR near 1200 nm region were verified. Besides few-layers of Nb 3 I 8 was acquired by the mechanical exfoliation method, and experimentally observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). This 2D material is expected to have an important role in developing another 2D materials and in new nano-optoelectronic devices using it. • Synthesis of 2D material Nb 3 I 8 in centimeter scale. • Experimental estimation of band gap of Nb 3 I 8 about (∼1 eV) and application to IR detectors. • Bulk to few-layers separation of Nb 3 I 8 sheet using mechanical exfoliation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]